Faceplate guidelight system

Abstract

A faceplate lighting system and method for illuminating a faceplate that provides substantial illumination of the faceplate to provide a guidelight or nightlight effect for environments without providing electrical power to or through the faceplate itself. The faceplate comprises an assembly including: a clear or translucent or transparent outer faceplate, and, a lightpipe membrane disposed beneath the clear or translucent or transparent outer faceplate. A wall-mounted electrical device is configured to include a light source(s) integrated within the device itself, to provide light under certain operating conditions. The light source is disposed in a manner such that when the faceplate assembly is overlayed onto a surface-mounted electrical device, the clear lightpipe membrane is aligned to directly receive light from the electrical device light source(s). The lightpipe membrane incorporates light pipe features that distribute received light across the surface of the faceplate. Alternately, the faceplate for a wall-mounted electrical device comprises a single plastic lightpipe having a first translucent or transparent surface that is exposed when overlayed onto the wall-mounted electrical device, and receiving light from the wall-mounted device for illuminating the exposed surface without transmitting electrical power to or through the faceplate itself.

1. An illumination system for an electrical box mountable electrical device having a housing including a front face and at least one side edge portion extending from said front face, said system comprising:
 at least one light source disposed at least partially within an electrical device and adapted for generating output light at said at least one side edge portion of said electrical device; and, 
 a faceplate adapted to overlay said electrical device, said faceplate comprising:
 an outer plate which is at least partially translucent or is transparent; and, 
 a lightpipe membrane fastened to or integrated within the outer plate, said lightpipe membrane having at least one lightpipe membrane inner edge surface portion; wherein, when said faceplate overlies said electrical device, said at least one said lightpipe membrane inner edge surface portion is aligned with at least one side edge portion of said device, 
 
 wherein generated output light at a side edge portion of said electrical device is received by said lightpipe membrane via a respective said at least one inner edge surface portion, 
 said lightpipe membrane diffusing said received light for illuminating an exposed surface of said translucent or transparent outer plate, where electrical power is not transmitted to or through the faceplate. 
 
     
     
       2. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said faceplate cover assembly further comprises a reflector element disposed adjacent to and underlying said lightpipe membrane and fastened to or integrated with said faceplate cover assembly for reflecting any light received by said lightpipe membrane to said exposed surface of said translucent or transparent outer plate. 
     
     
       3. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said electrical device is configured to received power from a line voltage source, said system further comprising:
 a control circuit disposed to provide electrical power from said line voltage source to said at least one light source for controlling said at least one light source according to one or more pre-determined conditions. 
 
     
     
       4. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said electrical device comprises a light sensor adapted to detect an ambient light level, and where one of said pre-determined conditions including one of:
 an absence of detected light; 
 the presence of detected light; and 
 a predetermined amount of detected light. 
 
     
     
       5. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 3 , where the control circuit is disposed to control at least one output parameter of the light source where the output parameter is one of: color; intensity; pulse rate; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein a pre-determined condition of said device includes a detected operating mode of said electrical device, said detected operating mode causing said control circuit to enable power flow to one or more of said at least one light sources for illuminating said translucent or transparent outer faceplate cover. 
     
     
       7. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein one of said at least one light sources generates light for illuminating said translucent or transparent outer faceplate cover of a pre-determined color indicating a detected operating mode. 
     
     
       8. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each of said at least one light sources comprises a light emitting diode. 
     
     
       9. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein one of said at least one light source is located at or near a respective said at least one side edge portion of said electrical device such that a surface of said light source is disposed at a respective said side edge portion of said device. 
     
     
       10. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein each said integrated light sources is disposed on a printed circuit board housed at least partially within said electrical device, said system further comprising:
 a respective light pipe element formed adjacent a respective surface of said light source and extending to a respective said at least one side edge portion of said device for communicating light output from the respective light source surface to each respective side edge surface of said electrical device. 
 
     
     
       11. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said electrical device is a single or multi-gang configuration, said electrical device selectively comprising:
 a power outlet; a switch; a dimmer switch device, an electrical socket, an building automation unit, a low voltage device; a voice or data device; a transceiver device; sensors; or any combination thereof. 
 
     
     
       12. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said translucent or transparent outer plate is formed of a clear plastic material. 
     
     
       13. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said underlying lightpipe membrane is dimensioned to substantially fit within an area and volume defined by said translucent or transparent outer plate. 
     
     
       14. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein both said underlying lightpipe membrane and reflector element is dimensioned to substantially fit within an area and volume defined by said translucent or transparent outer cover plate. 
     
     
       15. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said reflector element comprises a paper, plastic or a surface reflective coating material adapted for reflecting light. 
     
     
       16. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said material of said reflector element is colored to match the color of said electrical device. 
     
     
       17. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 2 , where the reflector has at least a portion which is at least partially opaque such that the reflector is disposed to mask an underlying portion of a surface upon which said electrical device is mounted. 
     
     
       18. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein said material includes a single layer or multiple layers of paper, plastic or reflective coating material of a single color or of various coordinating/contrasting colors. 
     
     
       19. The illumination system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said faceplate comprises a single translucent or transparent lightpipe of unitary construction. 
     
     
       20. A method for illuminating an electrical box mountable electrical device having a housing including a front face and at least one side edge portion extending from said front face, said method comprising:
 attaching a faceplate to said electrical device, said faceplate adapted to overlay said electrical device and said faceplate including an outer plate which is at least partially translucent or transparent and, a lightpipe membrane fastened to or integrated within the outer plate, said lightpipe membrane having at least one lightpipe membrane inner edge surface portion configured to align with said at least one side edge portion of said device; 
 detecting a condition of said electrical device; 
 conducting, through a control circuit, electrical power to a light source integrated in said electrical device and adapted for generating light for output at said at least one side edge portion of said device in response to said detected condition, said conducted power for generating light from said at least one light source integrated within said device; 
 receiving, at said underlying lightpipe membrane, said light generated from an integrated powered light source; and 
 diffusing, by said underlying lightpipe membrane, said received light for illuminating an exposed surface of said translucent or transparent outer plate. 
 
     
     
       21. The method for illuminating as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein said faceplate further comprises a reflector element underlying said lightpipe membrane and fastened to or integrated therewith, said method further comprising: reflecting, by said reflector element, any light received by said lightpipe membrane to said exposed surface of said translucent or transparent outer cover plate. 
     
     
       22. The method for illuminating as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising:
 using a light sensor to detect the amount of ambient light or the absence thereof; and, one of: 
 energizing said at least one light sources to illuminate said translucent or transparent outer faceplate cover based on a predetermined to the level of, or the absence of, the ambient light level. 
 
     
     
       23. The method for illuminating as claimed in  claim 22 , further comprising:
 energizing the light source when the level of ambient light is below a predetermined level. 
 
     
     
       24. The method for illuminating as claimed in  claim 22 , where the control circuit is disposed to control at least one output parameter of the light source where the output parameter is one of: color; intensity; pulse rate; or a combination thereof. 
     
     
       25. The method for illuminating as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein a detected operating condition of said device includes an operating mode of said electrical device, said method further comprising:
 responsive to a detected operating mode, using said control circuit to energize said at least one light sources for illuminating said translucent or transparent outer faceplate cover. 
 
     
     
       26. The method for illuminating as claimed in  claim 20 , further comprising:
 responsive to a detected operating condition, adapting said control circuit to enable power flow to one or more predetermined light sources of said at least one light sources for illuminating said translucent or transparent outer faceplate with a predetermined color associated with the detected operating condition. 
 
     
     
       27. A faceplate lightpipe for an electrical box mountable electrical device, the electrical device having a housing including a front face and a side edge surface extending from said front face, said electrical device configured to emit light from said side edge surface, said faceplate lightpipe comprising:
 a first translucent or transparent front surface; and 
 an inner edge surface portion extending from said front surface; 
 wherein when said faceplate lightpipe is overlaid onto the electrical device said front surface is exposed and said inner edge surface portion is arranged and configured to receive the emitted light from the side edge surface of the electrical device, and wherein said faceplate lightpipe is adapted and configured to diffuse said received light such that said exposed front surface is illuminated without transmitting electrical power to or through the faceplate lightpipe. 
 
     
     
       28. The faceplate lightpipe as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising a second light reflecting surface. 
     
     
       29. The faceplate lightpipe as claimed in  claim 27 , further comprising at least one lightpipe inner edge surface portion, such that said at least one said lightpipe inner edge surface portion aligns with a respective said at least side edge portion of said electrical device for receiving light from a light source integrated within said mountable electrical device.